Film caps

The Loneliest Planet (NR) Gael Garcia Bernal and Hani Furstenberg play a cute couple in love backpacking through Georgia — the former Soviet republic, not the American state — a few months before their wedding. Osio in Monterey.

Sessions (R) See the review on page 4. Osio in Monterey

Skyfall (NR) See the review on page 6. Century Cinemas in Monterey, Cinemark XD at Cannery Row in Monterey, Lighthouse in Pacific Grove, Century and Maya Cinemas in Salinas.

SPECIAL

SHOWINGS

The Metropolitan Opera: "Otello" Verdi's Shakespearean masterpiece returns to the Met with Johan Botha in the title role, opposite the acclaimed Desdemona of star soprano Renée Fleming. Falk Struckmann is Iago and Semyon Bychkov conducts. Wednesday at Century in Monterey.

The Metropolitan Opera: "Tempest" Composer Thomas Ads conducts the Metropolitan Opera premiere of his 2004 work, with baritone Simon Keenlyside starring as Prospero. Director Robert Lepage re-creates the interior of 18th-century La Scala in this inventive staging. Saturday at Century in Monterey.

Siegfried The Ring Cycle continues with Siegfried, starring Lance Ryan as the ubermensch youth, in this new production from La Scala, Milan. The tale of gods and mortals, all set to Wagner's incomparable music, is a must-see for any true opera lover. Wagnerian specialist Nina Stemme is Br?nnhilde, with Daniel Barenboim at the podium. Sunday and Tuesday at Lighthouse Cinemas in Pacific Grove.

ALSO PLAYING

Alex Cross (PG-13)

After Washington, D.C., detective Alex Cross (Tyler Perry) is told that a family member has been murdered, he vows to track down the killer and soon discovers that she was not his first victim.

Argo (R)

Based on a true story that took place during the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979-80. Six Americans slipped through Iranian clutches and hid out in the Canadian ambassador's residence. The U.S. State Department wanted to disguise them and have them ride out of the country on bicycles. But one C.I.A. agent had a better idea. Give them sunglasses, call them movie people and pass them off as Hollywood types on a "location scout" for a sci-fi picture set in the desert.

Chasing Mavericks (PG)

½ Jonny Weston is Jay, a curly-headed blond who has gotten the surfing bug from his somewhat standoffish neighbor, Frosty. The older surfer, played by Gerard Butler at his most gruffly charming, has a job — roofing — a gorgeous wife (Abigail Spencer) and a growing family. But his passion is surfing. All flowing locks, a regular Adonis-on-a-long-board, Frosty is one of the "children of the tides," he poetically narrates. And his secret is Mavericks. 1 hour, 54 minutes.

Cloud Atlas (R)

"Cloud Atlas" takes an omnipotent look at how actions affect past and future generations as told through six stories set in diverse time periods covering a 500-year span. 2 hours, 53 minutes.

End of Watch (R)

The writer of "Training Day" and "Harsh Times" brings us more cop movie grit with "End of Watch," a vivid series of impressionistic sketches of a year in the lives of two Los Angeles police officers played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena. 1 hour, 49 minutes.

Farewell My Queen (R) Based on the best-selling novel by Chantal Thomas, the film stars Léa Seydoux as one of Marie's ladies-in-waiting, seemingly innocent but quietly working her way into her mistress's special favors, until history tosses her fate onto a decidedly different path. Osio in Monterey

This Tim Burton film is a far more elaborate animated remake of the 1984 live-action short that first gained Burton attention. An isolated adolescent named Victor Frankenstein, living in the wasteland of suburbia, builds a makeshift lab in the attic of his parents' house to shock back to life his beloved pet, Sparky. Century Cinemas in Monterey, Century and Maya Cinemas in Salinas.

Fun Size (R)

The focus in "Fun Size" is on teen science whiz Wren (Victoria Justice), who has captured the attention of her high school's Alpha male. Fellow geek Roosevelt (Thomas Mann) completes the love triangle. On the way to the big party, Wren's prank-loving 8-year-old brother gets lost trick-or-treating. 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Here Comes The Boom (PG)

Kevin James plays a high school biology teacher who decides to raise big money for his school doing the one legal thing available to him, cage fighting. Cage fighting is not inherently funny. In fact, it's the opposite of funny, something like cock fighting only with people.

Least Among Saints (R) Returning home to a broken marriage and an uncertain future, combat veteran Anthony Hayward believes there is no hope for himself. Yet when a troubled ten year-old neighbor, Wade, calls out for help, Anthony cannot turn away. To the dismay of the boy's social worker, Anthony sets out to help the child find his long-lost father. Osio in Monterey.

The Master (R)

Viewers hoping for a juicy expose of the supersecretive Church of Scientology might want to adjust their expectations just a tad. Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson has acknowledged that the cult leader of the film's title — played with great bluster and bravado by Philip Seymour Hoffman, one of his longtime players — was inspired by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. 2 hours, 17 minutes.

Man With the Iron Fists (R) On the hunt for a fabled treasure of gold, a band of warriors, assassins, and a rogue British soldier descend upon a village in feudal China, where a humble blacksmith looks to defend himself and his fellow villagers. Century Cinemas in Monterey, Century and Maya Cinemas in Salinas. 1hr 36 min

Pitch Perfect (PG-13)

Taking place at Barden University, Beca (Anna Kendrick), a cute sort-of loner and would-be music producer, finds a home with The Bellas and with what one character scornfully refers to as "organized nerd singing." The group is particularly driven to win the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella after messing up spectacularly last year. 1 hour, 45 minutes..

Seven Pyschopaths (R)

Marty (Colin Farrell) and Billy (Sam Rockwell) work with Hans (Christopher Walken) to steal rich people's dogs and return them for the reward money. They soon find themselves dropped into the world of real-life psychopaths after the shih tzu of a local mob boss, Charlie (Woody Harrelson), is nabbed. Charlie wants his dog back and he's willing to do anything to get it.

Silent Hill: Revelation (R)

Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn't fully understand, Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she's not who she thinks she is. 1 hour, 34 minutes.

Sinister (R) H½ Ellison Oswalt (Ethan Hawke), a true-crime author in desperate need of a hit, doesn't tell his wife and family that he's moved them into a house that was the scene of a mass murder. 1 hour, 49 minutes.

Silent Hill: Revelation (R)

Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn't fully understand, Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she's not who she thinks she is. 1 hour, 34 minutes.

Taken 2 (PG-13)

Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent, stopped at nothing to save his daughter Kim from Albanian kidnappers. The father of one of the kidnappers has sworn revenge and takes Bryan and his wife hostage during their family vacation in Istanbul. Bryan enlists his daughter to help them escape.

Wreck-it Ralph (PG) Wreck-It Ralph is a character in an early 1980s Donkey Kong clone called Fix-It Felix Jr. After being thrown off his blocky retro animated building and into the mud one too many times, he tells a support group of video game villains that he doesn't want to be a bad guy any more. Century Cinemas in Monterey, Cinemark XD at Cannery Row in Monterey, Lighthouse in Pacific Grove, Century and Maya Cinemas in Salinas.